At first glance, Kings captain Dustin Brown would seem to be the ideal player for coach Darryl Sutter’s take-no-prisoners defense and take-no-chances offense. After all, Brown is renowned as a hard-nosed player with a knack for being in the right place at the right time.

He produced consistent 50-to-60-point seasons since his first full season in the NHL in 2005-06. He set a career best with 33 goals in 78 games in 2007-08 and never fell below 22 goals since then. Moreover, his black-and-blue style of play further defined him as one of the game’s most reliable players.

Then, during the lockout-shortened 48-game season in 2012-13, Brown upped the bar to new heights. He recorded 29 points, including 18 goals, in just 46 games. Only forward Jeff Carter, with 26, scored more goals for the Kings than Brown last season.

Perhaps that’s why Brown’s lack of production this season has been so glaring, so jarring. He has only 22 points, including 12 goals, in 66 games going into tonight’s grudge match with the Ducks at Staples Center. He is nearly on pace for career lows for goals and assists.

Sutter took the unusual step of benching Brown in the third period of the Kings’ loss Thursday to the Toronto Maple Leafs after playing him for only limited minutes in each of the first two periods. Sutter then revealed Friday that Brown was ill and couldn’t practice with his teammates.

Brown declined an interview request Friday.

Jarret Stoll, a center who played Thursday on a line with Brown and right wing Dwight King, said he wasn’t concerned with his teammate. Stoll said of Brown, “He’ll be fine.” A reporter then asked, “Mentally or physically?” and a smiling Stoll said, “Both.”

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Sutter was reluctant to talk about the veteran left wing’s performance this season. He then opened up when reporters assured him they were not looking to write hatchet pieces, but merely interested in the coach’s assessment of the play of one of the team’s top players.

“He’s having the same type of year he had when I came here, the year we won the (Stanley) Cup,” Sutter said when asked what’s been absent in Brown’s game this season. “You asked the same question in March of that year that you are right now and you know the answer.”

For the record, Brown had 54 points, including 22 goals, in 82 games in 2011-12.

In many ways, Brown has been the lightning rod for the Kings’ offensive woes this season, at least as far as fans and reporters are concerned. Others have struggled offensively at times, including forward Mike Richards, but Brown’s drop in production has been impossible to ignore.

Brown’s dip in scoring is not the only reason for the Kings’ 26th-ranked offense, which averages 2.36 goals per game. There are plenty of other reasons for the Kings’ lack of offensive punch, not least of which is their league-leading defense, which yields only 2.06 goals per game.

The Kings don’t score much, but they also don’t give up much, which is as Sutter wants it.

“I don’t want to talk about it because you want me to criticize the player,” Sutter said when pressed about Brown’s statistical drop-off. “OK, how do you think Dustin Brown has played this year? What do you think he could do better? It’s not just about scoring. Is Brownie known as a scorer?”

Sutter then called 2012-13 “a career year” for Brown, an indication that expectations were probably too high going into this season. What’s more, Sutter said the Kings’ acquisition of Marian Gaborik earlier this month from the Columbus Blue Jackets was designed to add more depth.

“It puts Brownie where he should be, it puts Carts (Carter) where he’s not overloaded,” Sutter explained, referring to the roles of Brown and Carter. “You guys get caught up in it, (but) it’s based on how you played last night and how you play tomorrow in this league.”

Sutter then added: “When you don’t have a veteran team, you need your veterans (to play well). It’s not captains. You need your veterans. You need great examples for your group. Otherwise, you’re going to have trouble.”